Computer HPEL

[Latrinsorm]

So the computer at home has always been crappy, but now I'm getting the message that I have "impending hard drive failure". I don't really care how real that actually is, because I can convince my dad to get a new one because of it. However, there's lots of stuff on the crappy computer we want to save.

I have access to another computer (which while still crappy isn't on the verge of breakz0ring itself). I want to transfer stuff directly from one to the other. How would I do this?

[Sean of the Thread]

36,934 3.5" Flooopy Dicks.

[Latrinsorm]

Floppy diSks are not an option, and neither are CDs. I don't want to resort to zip disks.

[Edited on 8-12-2005 by Latrinsorm]

[Bobmuhthol]

Connect them with a USB transfer cable, if you want data to be transferred from one computer to the next. The standard size is 12 feet - not very effective in situations where the computers are in different rooms.

If you're going to transfer the data back onto the new hard drive (ie. using the other computer as temporary storage), it would be more beneficial to wait until you get the new hard drive. Then, use it as your master drive (be sure to install an operating system on it). Connect your current hard drive as a slave. It won't be booted from, so the two installed Operating Systems will not conflict. With XP, the new hard drive will be automatically detected and installed. At that point, you can take any data you want from it. It will most likely be the E:\ drive, with C:\ as the new hard drive.


Edit: And as I have learned from my reformat experiences, make sure you have any software installers you want to keep and additional data that goes with it. Backing up an entire folder that software is installed in doesn't work. Always save installers.

Coincidentally, I recently installed a 10GB slave into this 40GB machine. I transferred 3 movies (Revenge of the Sith, Equilibrium, Something That Doesn't Belong on These Boards) and all my software installers (5GB+). Slaves are the bomb.

[Edited on 8-12-2005 by Bobmuhthol]

[Edited on 8-12-2005 by HarmNone]

[Sean of the Thread]

Ok.. 26,000 emails. :hump:

[Trouble]

There are a couple of ways... all not easy unless they both have USB and are XP machines and you have $100. If this is the case, get one of those external USB drives and copy the files onto it. You can even use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard in XP to get things you may ahve forgotten and it compacts everything for you in the process. If it's a small amount of files, you can even get one of those flash drives that are pretty cheap these days.

If you don't have that situation, but both computer have a network port, you can buy a crossover cable (or use your home cable/DSL hub) to connect the two computers and copy the files over.

Then of course there's Xyelin option of floppies, but you'll want to kill yourself before it finishes.

So I guess what I'm asking is, what operating systems are involved, and do both machines have USB or network ports?

[Bobmuhthol]

It's seriously so much easier to just have 2 HDDs in one machine, if the master has XP on it.

[Sean of the Thread]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
It's seriously so much easier to just have 2 HDDs in one machine, if the master has XP on it.

2 is the LOW END!!! I can't live without massive amounts of storage. It got to the point where I built a storage server. 800 gigs of pure goodness.

[Latrinsorm]

One computer is ME, the other is XP. They both have USB. I don't know what a network port is. If it's the same thing as where the modem goes, then yes, each computer has one. The second computer has a port that looks like a modem but is slightly bigger, if that's what a network port is. I'm not sure if the first has one of those.

Bob: when you say "connect your current hard drive as a slave", does that involve opening the case?

[Bobmuhthol]

<<It got to the point where I built a storage server. 800 gigs of pure goodness.>>

If you have the money for it, Kanguru is the hard drive and storage emporium. It costs a bit, but you can get a 3.2 TB server.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Bob: when you say "connect your current hard drive as a slave", does that involve opening the case?>>

Mhm. My solution is to wait until you get the new HDD, and then disconnect your current, connect the new, and connect the current as a secondary drive. It's the cheapest, fastest, most convenient way to transfer data between two hard drives in one machine. It also requires that the new hard drive has XP on it (this is where cracked copies of XP Pro come in handy).

[Sean of the Thread]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
<<It got to the point where I built a storage server. 800 gigs of pure goodness.>>

If you have the money for it, Kanguru is the hard drive and storage emporium. It costs a bit, but you can get a 3.2 TB server.



Nah I don't need 3.2 TB yet... this thing is going to be a media center playing allllll my pirate movies and games. I plan on building a LCD projector to go with it. I just pile on cheap 80giggers as needed.

[The Ponzzz]

Go to your local eletronic store and just buy a flash drive for 50 bucks, that should get ya a 512 MB flash drive and should take all of an hour to transfer 10-20 gigs of space. No distance problem or anything. Best Buy has one with a 50$ rebate that holds a gig, but its 99$ up front...

Does your system boot though?

[Latrinsorm]

System always boots to the stage where it asks for the windows pw. From there, it usually takes 3-4 tries to actually have the computer not crash when I do something crazy like try to start AIM.

[The Ponzzz]

If the computer is about to die, I would just pluck the HD out and put it in the other system. But if it was me, I would use the Flash drive... They go by other names sometimes though

[AnticorRifling]

Shut them both down, pull the HDD from the one that you want to get the files from, put it in the other machine (either unplug the CD ROM and use that cable) Both should be set as cable select by default.

Power the machine on and transfer your files.

[Bobmuhthol]

Quick question, Anticor. If I jumper my drive to master instead of cable select and connect it to the slave IDE, what's going to happen to the cable select jumpered drive connected to the master IDE?

[Drew2]

Your computer will explode.

True story.

[Celephais]

For a non-tech savy person, flash drive is definatly the way to go.

$35 512MB usb flash drive http://www.chiefvalue.com/app/productdetails.asp?submit=&item=20-155-405&ATT=Memory%20Flash%20Memory%20&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r

(granted a near no name company but, it's $35) Newegg.com pricegrabber.com, slickdeals.net are your best friends if you're looking for a tech bargain.

Anyway that and winrar and you should be able to transfer anything off it.

[Wezas]

2 $15 network cards (http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/D-Link-PCI-Network-Adapter-Card-DFE-530TX-/sem/rpsm/oid/25013/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do)

Crossover Ethernet Cable = $0.99 - $14.99 (depending on size, 3 foot - 100 foot) (http://www.cablesforless.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=cat5cr&P age=1)

Alot better transfer rate then USB. And that's also assuming neither of the machines already have a network card.

[Bobmuhthol]

Simply connecting two hard drives in one machine costs nothing.

[Celephais]

From the sound of it Latrin isn't too tech savy (who knows though just a guess from the fact you're asking us). It also sounds like his BSing skills are superb and he might be able to convince his dad to buy the NICs or USB Drive. The least amount of getting your hands dirty would be either USB Drive or networking them (if they already have NICs)...

Hell buy an external enclosure, crowbar the old HD out of the old machine, put it in the enclosure and you won't have to mess with Master/Slave stuff or open your better computer.

[Bobmuhthol]

Oh snap, I was thinking he was just replacing his HDD.

In any event, the most cost effective thing is the same: connect them both.

[AnticorRifling]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
Quick question, Anticor. If I jumper my drive to master instead of cable select and connect it to the slave IDE, what's going to happen to the cable select jumpered drive connected to the master IDE?

Cable select drive will function normally, master jumpered drive will not be recognized.

[Bobmuhthol]

thx

[AnticorRifling]

Yup. That's why I generally tell folks to put all drives as cable select. It's just easier unless you have an express need for a master/slave combo (even then cable select and being able to read an IDE channel/cable works).

[Drew2]

Speaking of USB cables, ever bought one from best buy?


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6801106&type=product&id=10910997 83464


ROFL. You'd be disgusted if you knew what I pay for it.

[Celephais]

Buying tech items from any retail store is always a rip off (save the occasional rebate or misprice).

Although I wouldn't mind ranting about how much I hate "Geek Squad" if someone wants to create that topic and rant with me.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Celephais
From the sound of it Latrin isn't too tech savy:yes:
The least amount of getting your hands dirty would be either USB Drive:yes:

While I would be very happy crowbaring this piece of garbage at great length, I'm not entirely sure that the computer I'm going to be using will last longer than a week. Instead of getting a new one, it turns out we're going to be using an even OLDER computer with less memory, and my dad is convinced that getting a USB drive and using that as an external hard drive is the way to go. So that's that.

Thanks for your advice, everyone! (Except Xyelin. This bud's for you, pal: :fu: )